Mt Kenya’s claim of key UDA posts stirs up storm ahead of party polls

A twin plot by Mt Kenya region to have a single deputy party leader and the secretary-general’s position in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party has kicked up a storm. 

Politicians from the region have opposed a proposal to have two deputy party leaders, insisting on reserving the position for Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. They are also out to wrest the secretary-general’s position which is being held in the interim by former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala from western Kenya.

The fresh political supremacy battle in President William Ruto’s party now threatens the planned UDA grassroots elections next month, amid fierce regional power play.

Members of Parliament from western Kenya are pushing for an expanded party structure with two deputy party leaders. Senate Majority Whip Boni Khalwale (Kakamega County) has been proposed for one of the positions.

However, their Mt Kenya counterparts have resisted the plan.  Outspoken Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro is being propped up for the secretary-general’s position.

A host of Mt Kenya MPs now claim that a scheme to have more than one deputy party leader is part of a wider political plan targeted at clipping the influence of DP Gachagua with the 2032 succession politics at play.

Read: No party will be coerced to fold up, DP Gachagua assures Kenya Kwanza parties

The development comes when Mr Khalwale stirred controversy in the ruling party after warning Mr Gachagua to prepare for a western region takeover of State House at the end of President Ruto’s presidency.

The Kakamega Senator warned that nobody at both the national and county levels will play cheap politics with the people of western Kenya in the countdown to the 2032 elections.

“The DP should listen to me and whether he likes it or not, 2032 is time for a Luhya presidency. Just like President Ruto took over from Uhuru Kenyatta, so shall it be when a Luhya will be inheriting President Ruto,” said Dr Khalwale.

With cracks emerging in the ruling UDA party ahead of the December 9 party polls, he accused Mr Gachagua of planting leaders he termed as “small boys” within the regions as he positions himself to succeed the President.

“In Mombasa, he has planted Omar Hassan, in western he has Malala and there are several others in other regions to frustrate senior politicians so that they cannot interfere with his presidential desires,” he said.

The jostling comes amid assertions by DP Gachagua that Mt Kenya is one of the main shareholders in the government.

Read: Ruto's strategy to wrestle Raila out of Western in 2027 elections

President Ruto swept to victory in last year’s General Election with 7,176, 141 votes. The 10 Mt Kenya counties delivered 2,938, 309 votes, seven North Rift counties brought 1.6 million votes to the table while western region contributed 629,552 votes, where Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula’s Bungoma County polling 255,907 votes.

Recently, Mr Gachagua said he will ensure support for President Ruto in the vote-rich Mt Kenya is stepped up, for the region to support Dr Ruto to the last man in the 2027 elections.

On Sunday, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga said the position of deputy party leader should be reserved for DP Gachagua and demanded that the secretary-general’s position be given to a leader from Mt Kenya region.

“There must be a party leader and a deputy party leader. The rest can be whatever they want to be and we are demanding that as UDA members,” said Mr Kahiga.

Read: UDA unveils strategy ahead of 2027 General Election

“The party structure must reflect the structure of the government. The likes of Boni Khalwale have become retrogressive and want to manage party politics like an inheritance. Why start talking about 2032 when we have just been elected?” Posed Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga.

Kirinyaga Senator James Murango said there is no need to expand the party structure because UDA has a national outlook.

“I hear Khalwale (Boni) is being proposed for the position of deputy party leader yet he is not even worth the Majority Whip position he has been given. He has failed to whip us senators because he is not a leader. Giving him the position is like placing a hyena with a dog in a bone chewing contest,” Mr Murango said.

He also tore into the leadership of Mr Malala, saying he is interested in the secretary-general’s position and there is no way he can be entrusted to oversee a fair and transparent election. Mr Murango further accused Mr Malala of being a lone ranger who has no respect for other leaders

Mathira MP Eric Mwangi said: “We only have one President who is the party leader and one Deputy President who should be the only deputy party leader.”

Last month a section of UDA leaders sought the removal of Mr Malala from his position.

Attempts to reach Mr Malala proved futile. By the time of going to press, his phone was not going and he had not replied to our short text messages.

Additional reporting by Shaban Makokha.